'Wow, that was really cool!,' the Icecreamology 101 audience exclaimed, as a massive cloud of vapour formed. Wearing goggles and gloves, Questacon's Q Lab presenters, Michael Bennett and Daniel McCusker, conducted a series of experiments with liquid nitrogen to reveal 'the science of ice cream and the ice cream of science'.

Of course there were tastings too! The 'icecreamologists' created a range of flavours, including the ever-popular salted caramel, as well as a mind-blowingly-hot-but-delicious chilli-chocolate, and glow-in-the-dark tonic water sorbet. One little person who was seated next to me ate the chilli-choc ice cream with such gusto that his mother was amazed. 'He won't eat my curries, but look at him eating this chilli,' she laughed.

Icecreamology 101 was held at Questacon as part of Canberra's Enlighten Festival in March. Questacon is Australia's National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra and is one of the city's most popular attractions for locals and visitors alike. Each year Australia’s first and largest interactive science centre reaches over three million people,delivering some six million hours of inspiration through a diverse range of experiences, including:

within the iconic Questacon centre in Canberra

travelling exhibitions that tour to regional and metropolitan galleries and museums across Australia

in-school visits and public exhibitions in regional and remote Australia by touring outreach programs

educational videoconferences and an interactive website

inspiring Australia or National Science Week community events.

Shaken, not stirred says 'Professor' Michael...

Tasting wasabi, in the name of science...

Enlighten...

Enlighten is an annual festival featuring architectural projections that transform the iconic buildings of Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle. Cultural institutions such as the National Library of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of Australia become tapestries of colour and light. The program of events includes live performances, dining events, exhibitions and tours.

Note: I attended Icreamology 101 as part of the Enlighten Festival, thanks to the generosity of Questacon.

If you love making ice cream, you might enjoy...

PX Ice cream with raisins

Chocolate mint ice cream

Tell me, would you eat a spoonful of wasabi in the name of science? And what's your favourite ice cream flavour?

This looks like it was a fantastic event, I would have killed to try the chilli chocolate ice cream! I'd like to get my hands on a couple of those glass beakers, they are so cool.

Daniel McCusker

17/3/2014 12:35:27 pm

Hi Eva. I use 600mL tall-form beakers at home as drinking tumblers. They are also convenient measuring cups when everything else is already used, and they fit an immersion blender just perfectly. Being borosilicate glass, they're incredibly heat resistant and pretty sturdy too. They're available in smaller sizes or bigger as well.

I bought mine online from a lab supply. I found this link after a short search on Google. It might work as a starting point! Schott Duran are a quality brand of beaker.

Nope - no way would I eat a spoon full of that stuff. I love that the little kid was getting stuck in to the chilli ice cream - looks like his mum will need to freeze all his food & call it ice cream!

Lizzy

17/3/2014 01:40:42 pm

Hi Amanda, you can see from the look on Daniel's face that it wasn't the most pleasant sensation eating wasabi! There are other photographs with his eyes watering, but they are blurry as I was laughing so much! Yes, the little boy was funny too. : )

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​Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion.​Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writersand chefs; and news on food, cookbooks ​and cooking.​- Liz Posmyk